Health status of blood donors in the Magdeburg region (1974-1980)

A report is presented on the results of investigations made in 188 657 prospective blood donors from 1974-1980 within the district of Magdeburg. Methods of investigation and recommendations of the International Society of Blood Transfusion for selecting blood donors are compared. A total of 12337 (= 6.53%) were not admitted as a donor and 1360 blood conserves (0.77%) could not be used for transfusion because of laboratory findings obtained afterwards. Causes are dealt with in detail. The necessity of supervising the health of donors and the existing limitations for it are pointed out.     

Action of alcohol in chronic emotional pain stress in rats

Male albino rats were exposed to daily emotional painful stress (EPS) for 4 weeks. The arterial blood pressure of the stressed animals increased and the dynamics of the heart rate changed after functional loading (hypokinesis during one or two hours) as compared with the control group. The increase of the heart weight and activation of cytochrome oxidase activity in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of rats exposed to EPS were also demonstrated. The use of 20% ethyl alcohol instead of drinking water during EPS partially prevented vegetative disturbances and activation of hippocampal cytochrome oxidase and fully prevented the heart hypertrophy and activation of the enzyme in the cortex. Alcoholization resulted in the increased weight of the spleen and brown adipose tissue and thymus involution. A possible mechanism of the antistress action of alcohol linked with normalization of intensified lipid peroxidation under stress is discussed.     

Alkaliphilic anaerobic community at pH 10

Relict or ancient microbial communities in extreme environment might be analogous to the centers of origin of bacterial diversity. A bacterial community of an alkaline lake was investigated, and the diversity of bacteria found there indicates that both conditions of autonomy and phylogenetic variety are fulfilled for anaerobic bacteria developing at pH 10±0.2. Major functional groups in the trophic network were present. Representatives of proteolytic, bacteriolytic, cellulolytic, saccharolytic, dissipotrophic, acetogenic, sulfate-reducing, methanogenic bacteria were isolated.     

Maximal oxygen uptake, anthropometry and physical activity in a randomly selected sample of 8 and 13 year old children in Sweden

Maximal oxygen uptake was assessed in 101 randomly selected 8 and 13 year old children. In both age groups a significantly higher aerobic capacity was found in boys than in girls, both in absolute terms and when maximal oxygen uptake was related to body weight, lean body mass and lean leg volume. Among girls, maximal oxygen uptake per kg body weight was lower in the older than in the younger (p less than 0.05). Estimation of spontaneous physical activity, by means of a questionnaire and the actometry method, indicated that physical activity was greater in children with a high than in those with a low aerobic capacity.